Wednesday 26 January 2011

Directing and Dictaphones

In a recent Guardian interview Richard Ayoade, the IT Crowd actor and director of the forthcoming 'Submarine', summed up what directing is like using such an accurate and truthful metaphor that I feel I have to share it with you. "It's like trying to tell a joke by recording one word a day into a Dictaphone out of order and reassembling it and hoping the cadence of it works". Brilliant.


Monday 24 January 2011

George and Harry Kirby and 'The Messenger'

Recently I was fortunate enough to see George and Harry Kirby’s short film ‘The Messenger’. The film was made as part of the 48 Hour Film Challenge and is a fantastic example of what can be achieved by a bunch of talented individuals in such a short space of time. It’s a cracking piece of work that is atmospheric, stylish and in no way betrays the stipulations and requirements placed on the team by the competition.  Below George and Harry discuss the film, the competition and more.




How did you get started in film making?
I guess our first real experience of film making was at university. We both studied Live television at Buckingham Chilterns University but we were required to make short films as part of our practical learning. But we have been making videos since we were young, often making stop motion animations using Lego characters with our dad's Hi-8 camera. We have both always loved film and were interested in how they were made, so I guess making films ourselves was a natural progression.

So what's 'The Messenger' about?
The Messenger follows the WW1 messenger or 'runner' Sam Harris, who after escaping from an enemy attack is left alone at a rendezvous point waiting to deliver his message. As the days pass and only his gun for company, Sam develops a strange friendship and we see how war can warp a man's mind...

The film is part of the '48 Hour Film Challenge'. Could you tell us a bit about this competition?
The London 48 hour film project is a fun and sleepless weekend in which you and your team make a short film—write, shoot, edit and score it—in just 48 hours. On Friday night, you get a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre, all to include in your short film. 48 hours later, the film must be complete.

We love doing 48 hour film challenges as they are a great way to test your film making skills under pressure and whatever happens you will get a film made in two days. Plus there are some great prizes to be won including getting your film shown at the Cannes film festival.

How did the idea for the film come about?
As this film was specific for the 48 hour film project our idea for the film came about for various reasons. In a previous 48 hour film challenge we took part in, we had 4 or 5 locations, a lot of dialogue and quite a few complex scenes to shoot which made completing the film within the 48 hours very difficult and resulted in the film feeling rushed and not as good as we had hoped and planned for it to be. So with this in mind we decided to make something that was simple yet visually pleasing, with one actor, very few locations and minimal dialogue. We knew of an old isolated tree at a friend's farm that we thought would look good on camera and our Grandfather being an avid antiques collector had an authentic WW1 uniform so the idea of one man alone in a crows nest in an isolated environment fitted with the brief we'd set ourselves perfectly. When we received the genre of 'Buddy Movie' we were disappointed at first but then as we worked on writing the script we realised it was in fact a great genre for what we had planned.

Describe your writing process.
Other scripts we have written have taken weeks/ months/ years going through focus groups and several re-writes which have involved changes to entire story arcs, characters and dialogue. When we sit down to write we usually find a comfy room in the house link our laptop to the TV and just keep writing until we are too tired to continue. Sometimes this process is easy when you are feeling particularly creative and other days it can be harder.

But due to the nature of the 48 hour film project and time being against us, we had to write the script on the same evening that we received our criteria. So after leaving the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester square we headed straight for the nearest restaurant, ordered some food, banded some ideas around between the team before writing a basic script to work from. After returning home, we reviewed the script through tired eyes and made some last minute adjustments.

How do you prepare to direct a film?
When we're working on something as time restricted as a 48 hour film challenge the main thing we try to do is make sure everyone in the team is on the same page and knows where the film is going. There’s nothing worse than trying to direct a film and your team and talent isn’t sure what’s going on.

What format was the film shot on and was it a creative or financial choice?
Having previously shot on a Sony HVR-Z7 which produces a nice image but didn’t give us the filmic look we were after, we decided to shoot on a Canon 5D MKII using prime lenses. This was both a creative and financial choice as it gave us the shallow depth of field that DSLR's provide and also we could get the camera for free through a friend so it worked out nicely for both reasons.

What was its budget and how did you raise the finance?
We spent roughly £300 on 'The Messenger' which was out of our own pockets and was mainly spent on petrol, feeding the crew and a few props. We were very lucky to have a group of crew and actors that were willing to work for free because they were interested in the project. There were a few miserable looking faces by the end of the 14 hour shoot but no one complained!

Describe the casting process.
One of the main things you can prepare for the 48 hour film project is your actors. Knowing the type of character and look we wanted, we put out a listing on Casting call Pro for a principle actor and a supporting actress. We were surprised by the number of applicants interested considering we had listed the job as expenses only. For any actor to be in a film made in 48 hours and a chance to be shown at Cannes film festival is a great opportunity. We chose our lead actor Panny Skrivanos as after watching his showreel we could see he had a very emotive face and could express feeling without talking which was great for us considering we had a minimal amount of dialogue. Ari Phillips was our choice as supporting actress as she had a very classic English look which is exactly what we needed for the period the film is set in.

Are you directors who like to rehearse a lot before shooting?
Ordinarily we do like to rehearse as much as possible so that when it comes to shooting time is not wasted trying to explain scenes and lines of dialogue to actors and crew. But we do think if you rehearse too much you can lose some of the rawness and natural feel that can be attained through a more improvised approach. Filming 'The Messenger' we obviously had no time for rehearsals but we were lucky that Panny cottoned on quickly to what we wanted from him.

What approach do you employ when working with actors?
We always like to have an informal and friendly relationship with our actors as we feel the more relaxed they are around us, the more prepared they'll be to give us what we want from them in a performance. As we are relatively new to dealing with actors we have found it has helped to have another professional actor (In the case of The Messenger, Nathan Stickley) as part of the crew to help explain in more technical acting terms, the emotions we want our actors to convey. We have a bad habit of saying things like “try to look more sad..” This is something we hope we will improve upon over time!

Do you storyboard/shot list every shot in pre-production?
In the past this isn’t something we have done. We are now starting to because although it does take a substantial amount of time in pre-production, it ultimately saves a lot of time when it comes to shooting, which is where most of the money is being spent. For the 48 hour film project we simply didn't have the time to storyboard.

How did you decide on the visual style you employed for the film?
We decided that we would shoot most of the film hand held rather than using a tripod as we knew we would be pushed for time and this style of shooting would allow us to get through the shoot quickly and efficiently. We also used a 30ft Jib to create the bigger, more cinematic shots that also add some variety to the film and increase its production value. When editing, we stuck with cuts throughout to emphasise the abrupt jumps in time and also to help create the sense of the sharp decent into madness that Sam experiences. Crushing the blacks and desaturating the colours helps to reinforce the bleak time of war, much inspired by Saving Private Ryan.

How long was the shoot?
48 hours!! We shot for 14 hours on the first day and then did a 10 hour edit on the second day.

Which part of the production did you find most enjoyable?
The most enjoyable part was definitely filming the scene where the soldiers are being chased and shot at through the woods. To achieve a smooth chasing shot that had the right speed we had to strap George to the front of a quad bike with a steadicam and speed back and forth after our actors. This took quite a few takes to get right but was great fun and gave us some really cool shots.



What lessons, if any, did you learn?
The biggest lesson we learnt from shooting 'The Messenger' is that preparation is the key to a successful production. Whatever happens things will go wrong, but if your preparation is good then you can usually find a solution to your problems. Another thing we learnt is that even when things do go wrong, it can force you to think on your feet and sometimes it works out better than what you originally had planned. For example, we were supposed to have a scene were Sam is eating off of the bone of a rabbit he’s just shot to fulfill the prop criteria of the competition, but we forgot to pick up the bones before we left and so ended up having to shoot the scene back at the house when he’s eating dinner. Which actually worked out better and flows better in the film. Also we learnt not to leave a 30ft metal jib rigged in the middle of a thunderstorm!!!!

Where has the film been screened so far?
As part of the 48 hour film project it was screened at the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square, London. We also recently screened 'The Messenger' at the Sunday Screenings held in Tooting which is a great screening night for independent film makers in the London area where you can have your film shown to group of like minded individuals and it's a great place to network.

Future plans for the film?
We hope to enter 'The Messenger' into as many English and European film festivals as possible.

What's next for you?
We currently have a few projects in the pipeline but we have just finished scripting a five part sci-fi/fantasy mini series which we hope to start shooting in April 2011 and we are very excited.


Friday 21 January 2011

Little Episodes/Circalit competition

For all you writers out there you have until January 31st to enter the Little Episodes scriptwriting competition in conjunction with Circalit.com.

They are looking for 6 new scripts to showcase for a weeks run in a London theatre in 2011. The 6 produced finalists will then be judged by a celebrity panel of industry professionals who will offer the winner invaluable development feedback. Scripts can’t be longer than 20 minutes and they will also accept submissions of monologues, one person shows or entire short plays. Scripts can be of any genre or subject and it’s free to enter. To enter go to Circalit.com.


Wednesday 19 January 2011

Is this the Future?

Having just seen and enjoyed Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, I was interested and not too surprised to find out that one sequence was shot on the Canon 7D (the subway scene).

Using the 7D on the set of Black Swan

There’s been a lot of talk over the last year concerning DSLR cameras and their increasing use in film production and my latest short film, The Man Who Stopped, was shot on the Canon 7D. I’m certainly a fan of these cameras and the footage we got looks amazing and using it was a pleasure - especially when shooting in tight spaces. Regarding Black Swan, it seems on this occasion Hollywood has also joined the cause and utilised a camera which has previously been the preserve of low budget filmmakers. Indeed the season finale of House was shot on the Canon 5D Mark II as well I believe. My question is how long will it be until it is the norm that the low budget producers are using the same technology as the big budget ones? Not long I feel.

The recent introduction of the Panasonic AG-AF101 onto the market, which looks and operates more like a video camera and is a camera I certainly would like to get my hands on, will, I believe, supersede the DSLR and its dominance among low budget filmmakers as well as appeal to the big budget ones. And this could just be the start as the big brands answer the needs of the budget conscious filmmaker and release more affordable video cameras that have both the professional design and results that we are increasingly coming to expect.

The AG-AF101

Monday 17 January 2011

'The Killers' Screening

My debut feature film 'The Killers' is to be screened at The Antelope Bar in Tooting on Wednesday February 9th at 7.45pm. The event is free and will hopefully be the first of a series of feature film screenings the bar intends to put on so do come along if you're in the area.



Tuesday 11 January 2011

Michael Gilroy and 'Dance For Eternity'

As I have said previously, I’d like to use this blog to draw your attention to filmmakers that I both respect and believe deserve more praise for their work and one of those filmmakers is Michael Gilroy. I had the privilege of working with Michael on my short film ‘Safe Zone’ a few years ago where he proved to be a passionate, dedicated and very talented actor. He also directed his first film a short while ago called ‘Dance For Eternity’ which I want to talk about. It’s a poetic film, confidently and elegantly directed and beautifully acted where all the elements combine perfectly to present a thoughtful and moving piece of work that explores our own mortality. I recently had a chat with Michael about the film.




How did you get started in filmmaking?
I am an actor by trade. I graduated from the Drama Centre, London in 1997 so I’ve been working as an actor for 13 years. ‘Dance For Eternity’ was my first film as a writer/director. Technically, I didn’t know a great deal so I had to educate myself very quickly but I knew how to work with actors so it was this that gave me the confidence to direct the project myself.


So what is 'Dance For Eternity' about?
It is about two lovers who make a special promise to each other on a beautiful day by the sea, a promise that will change their lives forever. Between them they try to muster the greatest courage they have ever shown and embark on a journey that they will never forget.

What themes does it explore?
The film is an exploration of love and suicide. I wanted to explore those last few minutes before a person chooses to end their life. Their condition, their dreams and fears of the future, but most importantly why? I think for a lot of people (myself included) life can be very frightening. The older we become the more we realise that ultimately we are on our own in this world and there is nowhere to hide if our problems become too painful. Adulthood is something forced upon us and I think that is when the bubble bursts for many people. I know I would love to be a child again and the same is true for my two characters in the film. My story is not intended to sadden but to find the empathy and understanding for them as they have once again rekindled that childlike innocence which we as ‘grown ups’ have lost and also because they firmly believe they are on a journey to the paradise that they have dreamt of.

How did the idea come about?
Strangely I was on my way to an audition one morning on the train and the idea just came. I started writing in an old church diary over all the entries on each page as I didn’t have any paper, I was writing right up to when I was called in to the casting, I did the audition and was pretty appalling as all I could think about was finishing the film, I came out of the room, carried on writing and it was all finished that afternoon. Consequently I didn’t get the acting job but I had my first script which then consumed me for the following two years as I set about saving the money to get it made.

Describe your writing process?
I’ve written a further two short films and a feature film and I’m not sure that I have a specific process other than I will write everything out by hand and then type it up at a later time. I suppose I do this as I feel more connected to the piece and I adopt a natural flow as opposed to being held up by my inadequacies with typing. I don’t set out a specific time, if I am inspired by certain ideas I will find the first available opportunity to write it all down.

How do you prepare to direct a film?
I was very meticulous with my preparations as we were on a very tight schedule so I couldn’t afford to encounter any problems on set. Plus we were filming on a very isolated coastal location so we weren’t close to any immediate assistance. I made sure that I had a very competent team who were all without exception fantastic. I think due to the frantic nature of pre-production on low budget films it is easy to over look the actual story of the film and why you are making it so I was very adamant that I spent a great deal of time talking, researching and rehearsing with Anna-the actress in the film. I’ve been on countless films as an actor where this vital work with the actors has been overlooked and it has sadly been at the detriment to the performances in the film. I think ones work with the actors before filming is as essential as any other aspect of pre-production.

What format was the film shot on and was this a creative or financial choice?
The film was shot on Fuji 35mm film and it was a purely creative choice. My DP Ciro Candia was very keen being as the film was set on a beautiful hill top location in North Cornwall and looking at the end result I’m pleased we made this choice. I think it also helped to attract a certain caliber of crew who wanted to be involved in a 35mm film. 

What was its budget and how did you raise the finance?
The budget including post production was £14,500. I couldn’t find any outside finance so I saved for two years in order to raise the required funds.

Describe the casting process?
I didn’t have to hold auditions as the main actress (Anna Bolt) who I had in mind when I wrote the film agreed to play the part upon reading the script. She flew over from the USA where she was living to do the film and her work for me was just fantastic. I was very lucky to have her.  

Are you a director who likes to rehearse a lot before shooting?
Yes definitely. Everyone remembers a bad performance and no matter how well the film is shot or lit the audience will remember little else. They are the main storytellers; they need to feel confident in you as a director and in the performances they are going to give. Without them you have no story so it makes sense to do as much work with them as time will allow. Even if for whatever reason you don’t rehearse the script I feel it is vital to collaborate with the actors on the world of the piece and the characters within that world.
     
What approaches do you employ when working with actors?
Although they won’t show it, I think most actors are nervous. They desperately want to be good in the role, they want to be the very best that they can be because everybody is watching them and so first and foremost they need to feel safe. Safe enough to be able to relax and do the best work they can. I think the way to achieve this is to ensure they have confidence in you as the director, infect them with a white hot passion for your story and to NEVER result direct them. Coming from an actor’s background I can guarantee that all actors would agree with this last point. I’ve had directors say to me “Michael, we’re not quite getting there, can you crank it up a notch”. An actor just can’t play that. What exactly does that mean and how are they supposed to react to that in a room full of crew? If you say this to an actor they’ll just retreat and step outside the character. People may say “well you’re the actor, you should know what to do” and yes to an extent they’re right but the truth of the scene is now lost because the only thing the actor will be thinking about on the next take is “is this what the director wants?” as opposed to being that character, in that moment and telling the truth. It all depends on how authentic you want your actors to be. With this film and the teaching I do with actors I will talk to the character and not the actor, that way they are always in the world of the piece, the actors’ inner critic will dissipate, they will be present with the other characters but most importantly they are doing it from the heart.

Did you storyboard/shot list every shot in pre-production?
Yes I was very thorough in my planning for each shot. I had a very specific vision which I wanted to translate. Also, shooting on 35mm on a restricted budget leaves very little room for error or improvisation.

How and why did you decide on the visual style you employed for your film?
My piece is very dialogue based and mostly takes place inside a small car so I wanted the audience to feel like they were sitting on the back seat. Ciro the DP and I strongly agreed that we should resist the temptation to do anything too dramatic despite the placid nature of the story as it wouldn’t have suited this style. We were watching the last 10 minutes in these two people’s lives so I needed to respect that. We started outside to take in characters view and give the audience a sense of where we are and then I wanted to create a continuous slow movement right up until he tells her his first story to give the impression we are creeping in on their world and entering their bubble.

How long was the shoot?
Two very long shoot days! We were all London based so there was also a day’s traveling to and from Cornwall either side of that.

Which part of the production did you find most enjoyable?
I actually started to relax and enjoy it when there were only a few hours left, we’d filmed most of the difficult dialogue scenes and we were just filming pick ups etc. I could see the rain coming in from the sea and it was quite a rush to get it finished but I knew we’d finally achieved it and I’d made my first film. It was also my birthday and as soon as we’d filmed the last shot-it rained!

What lessons, if any, did you learn?
Don’t assume something has been done with out double checking first. The film nearly didn’t happen on the strength of one stupid detail. I was also producing so this was entirely my fault but the night before we left for Cornwall I had a phone call from the camera hire company to say that my insurance wasn’t valid and they wouldn’t be releasing what we’d requested as the equipment was worth half a million pounds and I was only insured for a quarter of a million. I couldn’t believe that they were telling me this at 6.30pm when the insurance company had closed for the day. So the next day at 7am I had to sit in a mini bus full of my crew (whom I was also driving) outside the camera hire depot franticly pressing redial on my phone until someone from the insurance company answered so that I could upgrade. I never want to go through that again. Ever. 

Where has the film been screened so far?
I sold the film to Channel 4 last year and so far it has been transmitted three times. It has also been Officially Selected at various film festivals in the UK. USA, Ireland, Turkey, Romania and Jordan.

Future plans for the film?
Channel 4 will be showing it a further seven times and I will also be using it to promote myself and the crew for our next project.

What’s next for you?
Another short film about two young sisters who run away from a children’s home. I have most of the crew in place plus the locations. I now just need the money !



Monday 10 January 2011

What Cinema Can Teach Us

With the grade and sound mix progressing nicely on my latest short ‘The Man Who Stopped’ I recently got into a weighty discussion about all thing film with some of my colleagues. At some point someone said ‘Cinema can teach you things’. I couldn’t agree more. My mum took me to see Gandhi when I was eight years old. I loved going to the cinema and had begged her to take me. Next to us in the queue to go in was a nun. She saw me and shook her head. ‘He’ll never sit through this film, it’s over three hours long’. ‘I can assure you he’ll sit through the entire film’, my Mum responded defiantly.  And I did sit through the entire film. I didn’t move from my seat once. The nun sitting a few spaces away was very impressed. What was even more impressive was the strength my mum employed keeping me from getting up to go to the loo. No one even noticed her pinning me to my seat. Cinema taught me two valuable lessons that day. Always go to the loo before watching a film. And keep away from nuns in cinemas.

Tuesday 4 January 2011

Interview with the Sunday Screenings team


As a filmmaker getting your film seen is what it’s all about and finding that audience comes in a variety of ways. You have festivals, video-sharing websites like Youtube, pay per view websites like Dynamo or you can flog or send out your DVDs. And last of all you have the old-fashioned screening event.

Screening events, often held in or above pubs across the country, remains the best way to experience a short film bar watching it in a cinema. Why? Because you’re watching that film with other people. It is the closest you will get to a cinema experience and there is something magical, collective and personal about seeing films with your fellow man and woman. In an age where many interact more with each other via their computers than in actual person, going to a screening night reminds us of the communal spirit of the medium. It’s that sitting round a campfire vibe. It’s what it’s all about.

As some of you know I help run a film night at The Antelope bar in Tooting, South London. Having attended various screening events across the country and capital over the last few years I can honestly say that the Antelope is arguably the best screening event that is currently going. It regularly pulls in over a hundred people, it serves fantastic and affordable food, it has great Q & A sessions with filmmakers and most important of all it shows some wonderful short films.  I said this blog would be about giving others exposure so I thought I would interview the two organisers and founders of the Sunday Screenings - Phil Deguara and Andy Bate. I caught up with them recently for a chat.

Phil and Andy

So first off chaps, how did the Sunday Screenings come about?

ANDY: We realised that there weren’t any independent short films nights going on in the South West London area that was showcasing upcoming new talent, at least not that we knew of. Also, both Phil and I have trained in film and are into making films so watching shorts is something that we enjoyed doing anyway...I think we were quite happy doing the night for ourselves regardless if anybody else had turned up. But people did turn up and we made some good friends and contacts so we carried on. I think there was also a part of both of us that wanted to show that there is a good arts scene in South London. Everyone always thinks of Camden and Shoreditch as the cool, trendy places where you have to go to for good film nights etc so why not Tooting?

PHIL: I couldn’t agree more. We really started talking about it after I showed Andy the screening room in the Antelope and we realised the potential it had. It took a number of beers before we actually decided to set a date and stick with it and pull our fingers out to get it sorted. The rest is history.

 
What types of films do you screen?

ANDY: Anything really, as long as it is under 20 minutes and has a narrative and credits. We have had animation, shadow puppets, mockumentaries, horrors, thrillers, comedies...the only things that we don't really accept is music videos for the simple reason that we get a lot of submissions and we had to draw a line somewhere as we try and screen everything that we receive. One of the best things about doing the night is seeing the broad variety of things that we are sent from the super-low budget and student films to the top end funded and financed shorts and seeing that sometimes even the most simplest and basic films can still be amazing if the original idea is a good one and it is done right.

PHIL: I agree with everything Andy has just said.

 

When is it on?

PHIL: Sunday Screenings is the first Sunday of every month at The Antelope on Mitcham Road in Tooting. We normally start at around 8.00pm and aim to finish by 10.30pm. Oh...and it's FREE!

 
You’re both actors. Has putting this night on helped your careers?

ANDY: Ummm yes and no is probably the best answer I can give. No in the fact that there tends not to be much money in short film so it's not as if I can quit the day job yet because of contacts that I have made through running the night. But I have met some amazing directors, producers, writers and film makers who I'm sure will go on to do big things in the TV and Film industry so it's a good way to make acquaintances and also to meet people whose films and style you admire and who you would like to work with in the future. Most importantly I think it is just important to be involved in the industry. To be able to watch a lot of short films is also a bonus - to see what you like and what you don't like and to be learning from the film makers and the actors that I see involved in these films.

PHIL: Yes. I met Marc Price through the screenings and we're now making a feature together. I also helped produce a short film with you Carlo if I remember rightly called "The Man Who Stopped" in which the crew (and some of the cast) was assembled from people who came to the screenings. Whether or not any of this has helped my career only time will tell!
Why do you think the nights are so successful? It’s usually packed out. It’s amazing really.

ANDY: Because everyone likes films....don't they? Even if people don't turn up and love all the films that we show that night I can pretty much guarantee that they will have really enjoyed at least one of them and that a few of them will have made them think about the topic that the maker wanted to get across. Also, it’s popular because I think we have a very friendly and enjoyable atmosphere at Sunday Screenings. There isn't the pretentiousness that I have experienced at other screening nights across London and filmmakers and other regular attendees have said the same thing to me as well. What else? The venue is excellent and have been really great with us, we sell cheap hot dogs and burgers which seem to go down really well (and there is normally free popcorn or chocolate!), and we ask that the directors (or someone involved in the film) can attend to introduce the film so that people can connect a person to the work....it's not just some faceless guy or girl who lives in London and made this film....it's ‘this’ guy or girl standing in front of you telling you ‘why’ they wanted to make this particular film and what they enjoyed or hated about the process. I like that. It also then gives people who are interested in that person's work a chance to go and speak to them during the break or after the night.

PHIL: It's just a great event, no pretensions; it’s straightforward and fun. Simple.

 

Any plans to change the format/hope for the future?

ANDY: We have nearly been running for a year now and the night has started to bear fruit in the fact that as well as just getting together and watching some great films, people involved and who attend the night have started to get together and actually make films together, read through scripts and share ideas. I would love to see the night grow into a bigger network for film making in the South West of London where people can use it as a way to share equipment, contacts and expertise etc and then keep the night running as it does to carry on showcasing the talent and work that is being made. There are also plans and talks about maybe starting a short film competition in conjunction with Sunday Screenings which I would absolutely love to do.

PHIL: I really want to see us get a website started, so we can develop a resource for sharing films, scripts ideas and potential projects.

 
Where can we find you?

76 Mitcham Road, Tooting. Our email is
sundayscreenings@gmail.com.  We've got a website for the pub and we do have a Facebook group as Sunday Screenings. Or the alternative is to contact The Antelope pub itself and someone there should be able to put you in contact with either Phil or myself.


I’ve started but I don’t know when I’ll finish

Okay I’ve finally got on the bandwagon and started a blog.


If you’ve seen my website www.sugarspunpictures.com you’ll know I’ve made a few films and whilst I have a Latest News section on my site and am on Twitter, sometimes you just feel like being a bit more personal. This blog therefore is not just going to be about imparting information about myself but also about other filmmakers, events, competitions and the film world in general. I hope you enjoy it and do comment if you feel the need.